Woodford County High School (London)
Encyclopedia
Woodford County High School (WCHS) is a secondary all-girls grammar school
in Woodford Green
in the London Borough of Redbridge
, England
. The school opened in 1919.
Woodford's brother school is Ilford County High School
.
Like most grammar schools, WCHS has seven Years (7–13). To gain a place in the school, children take the Eleven Plus
exam. Woodford County High School has four classes in each year, and each year 120 girls out of the 900 who take the 11+ get a place at the school. There are four houses - Highams (green), Repton (blue), Warner (yellow) and Newton (red).
The school building was the site of the Highams Manor, built in 1768. The grounds of the school were designed by Humphry Repton
, who gives his name to one of the school's houses.
The school has a long history, being a hospital, in which the likes of Florence Nightingale worked, as well as a means of accommodation for Winston Churchill during the World War II. It was also once owned as a house, during which it was owned by the Warner family, who also held ownership of many properties in Walthamstow.
Higham Hall, the Main Lobby (which is now the office) and the winding staircase were designed by William Newton.
The school history is learnt by students in year 7 for the first half-term of the academic year.
Periods 3 and 4 take place as normal, although are usually considered 'fun' lessons, after which pupils return to their form rooms to do fun activities with their form prefects (Year 13s). After lunch, each year is allowed to wear non-uniform and does a separate year activity — aided by Year 12s. The activities are:
House Drama Winners 2010 : Highams, The Lion King
Other house competitions include the 5 penny race in October a few years ago it was won by Repton. During this, students lay out 5 pence coins collected during the year, in lines along the back terrace. The house with the longest line wins. The money goes to a charity which deals with children with leukaemia, in memory of a former pupil. In the lead-up to this, individual classes will begin to collect money in boxes that are handed out by the head girls.
A widely popular and anticipated event is 'Department Fortunes', during which teachers from two-three different departments will gather in teams to take part in a live quiz, held by a sixth former, while pupils watch. Admission is 20p, and just as in the TV show, 'Family Fortunes', pupils would have previously been quizzed on subjects such as 'Favourite TV show' and the point of the game would be for the teachers to guess on answers, and really, to see how well the teachers knew their own students.
Woodford County holds an annual Asian society play showcasing writing, producing, directing, acting and dancing, all done entirely by the pupils. All proceeds go to charity. In 2006, 'Colours, Compromises and a Couple of Ladoos' was performed, loosely based on the comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding
.
During the summer term, pupils can opt to take part in another drama, which is organised by the judges of Inter-house drama. In 2011, the play 'Annie' was performed.
An annual 'Prize-giving' is also held, during which pupils who have worked hard during the previous year are awarded prizes. In 2010, the prizes were awarded by Baroness Andrews, O.B.E
During Harvest, another competition is held between houses, in which classes are all required to produce a 'Harvest Window'; a decoration for a window that promotes Harvest-themed subjects.
Another major competition which takes place in February is 'inter-house' dance where every class prepares a dance routine which they will later perform, on stage, in front of the rest of the school.
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Woodford Green
Woodford Green
Woodford Green, formerly in the county of Essex, is part of the North East London suburb of Woodford, on the edge of Epping Forest, mostly within the London Borough of Redbridge with a small part on the western side of the green within the London Borough of Waltham Forest .-History:Woodford Green...
in the London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The school opened in 1919.
Woodford's brother school is Ilford County High School
Ilford County High School
Ilford County High School is a selective boys' secondary grammar school and a specialist science college in the Barkingside area of the London Borough of Redbridge.ICHS is a four-form entry school, each form comprising up to 30 pupils...
.
Like most grammar schools, WCHS has seven Years (7–13). To gain a place in the school, children take the Eleven Plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
exam. Woodford County High School has four classes in each year, and each year 120 girls out of the 900 who take the 11+ get a place at the school. There are four houses - Highams (green), Repton (blue), Warner (yellow) and Newton (red).
The school building was the site of the Highams Manor, built in 1768. The grounds of the school were designed by Humphry Repton
Humphry Repton
Humphry Repton was the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown; he also sowed the seeds of the more intricate and eclectic styles of the 19th century...
, who gives his name to one of the school's houses.
The school has a long history, being a hospital, in which the likes of Florence Nightingale worked, as well as a means of accommodation for Winston Churchill during the World War II. It was also once owned as a house, during which it was owned by the Warner family, who also held ownership of many properties in Walthamstow.
Higham Hall, the Main Lobby (which is now the office) and the winding staircase were designed by William Newton.
The school history is learnt by students in year 7 for the first half-term of the academic year.
The School Birthday
The "School Birthday" is celebrated annually around 29 September. On this day, former students of the school (called "Old Girls") visit and a marquee is erected on the back terrace. During the morning there is an assembly, attended by the whole school as well as visitors where the Silver Badges read speeches on a topic of their choice. In 2009, this topic was "Notable Women in History", whilst in 2010 the topic was, "New Beginnings". A cake competition is held, where students can enter cakes for one of four categories: Junior Novelty, Senior Novelty, Junior Traditional and Senior Traditional. The cakes are judged during morning breaktime and the winners announced.Periods 3 and 4 take place as normal, although are usually considered 'fun' lessons, after which pupils return to their form rooms to do fun activities with their form prefects (Year 13s). After lunch, each year is allowed to wear non-uniform and does a separate year activity — aided by Year 12s. The activities are:
- Year 7: Outdoor Cooking or The British Heart Foundation Skipping Challenge (2009) — Year 7 use gas cookers and cook on the tennis courts or in the Greek Theatre. Members of the sixth-form help with the cooking. If it is raining, the cooking takes place under the School Birthday marquee or science labs. After 2010, instead of outdoor cooking, the task was changed to "Year 7 Fitness Challenge" as cooking posed a health and safety risk. However in 2011, the pupils in year 7 will once again cook.
- Year 8: Murder Mystery — filmed by the Silver badges, each year tells a different story in which one teacher is killed by another. The Year 8s must travel around the school collecting clues from the Year 12s which point towards the identity of the killer. Once the activity is over, they hand in their choice of murderer and the motive before watching the end of the recording - which finally reveals the murderer.
- Year 9: The Woodford Challenge takes place on the field. Year 9s travel around the field doing quizzes and puzzles.
- Year 10: Bowling
House events
Throughout the school year there are competitions between the four houses. The biggest and liveliest of the year is the House Drama Festival which takes place in November. For the House Drama festival, each House performs a play — usually a musical. Dramas such as Legally Blonde, Mamma Mia and The Lion King are performed, during which pupils can opt to sing in a chorus, principal chorus, or take on a main role. Awards given include Best Junior Actress, Best Senior Actress, Best Support Actress, Best Chorus, Best Orchestra, Best Costumes, Best Scenery, Best Publicity, Best Props and Best Actress. The event is judged by former teachers of the school.House Drama Winners 2010 : Highams, The Lion King
Other house competitions include the 5 penny race in October a few years ago it was won by Repton. During this, students lay out 5 pence coins collected during the year, in lines along the back terrace. The house with the longest line wins. The money goes to a charity which deals with children with leukaemia, in memory of a former pupil. In the lead-up to this, individual classes will begin to collect money in boxes that are handed out by the head girls.
A widely popular and anticipated event is 'Department Fortunes', during which teachers from two-three different departments will gather in teams to take part in a live quiz, held by a sixth former, while pupils watch. Admission is 20p, and just as in the TV show, 'Family Fortunes', pupils would have previously been quizzed on subjects such as 'Favourite TV show' and the point of the game would be for the teachers to guess on answers, and really, to see how well the teachers knew their own students.
Woodford County holds an annual Asian society play showcasing writing, producing, directing, acting and dancing, all done entirely by the pupils. All proceeds go to charity. In 2006, 'Colours, Compromises and a Couple of Ladoos' was performed, loosely based on the comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 Canadian and American romantic comedy film written by and starring Nia Vardalos and directed by Joel Zwick. The film is centered on Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos , a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek upper middle class "White...
.
During the summer term, pupils can opt to take part in another drama, which is organised by the judges of Inter-house drama. In 2011, the play 'Annie' was performed.
An annual 'Prize-giving' is also held, during which pupils who have worked hard during the previous year are awarded prizes. In 2010, the prizes were awarded by Baroness Andrews, O.B.E
During Harvest, another competition is held between houses, in which classes are all required to produce a 'Harvest Window'; a decoration for a window that promotes Harvest-themed subjects.
Another major competition which takes place in February is 'inter-house' dance where every class prepares a dance routine which they will later perform, on stage, in front of the rest of the school.
Notable former pupils
- Kathleen LonsdaleKathleen LonsdaleDame Kathleen Lonsdale, DBE FRS was a crystallographer, who established the structure of benzene by X-ray diffraction methods in 1929, and hexachlorobenzene by Fourier spectral methods in 1931...
(1903-1971), crystallographerCrystallographerCrystallographer could refer to someone who practices:*X-ray crystallography*Crystallography... - Jenny PowellJenny PowellJenny Powell , is a British television presenter.-Early life:Powell's parents are from South Africa, she attended Woodford County High School for Girls in Woodford Green and the Italia Conti school in London.-Career:...
, TV presenter